'I got kicked out': Man instructs son to 'act like we’re a happy family' in front of friends, son makes it extra awkward

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
May 25, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

This family brought their messy drama to a 25 year reunion party, and things quickly got awkward. 

Family life is different for everyone, and while many people have stellar relationships with their parents and siblings, others have a harder time getting along. In this story, the OP is still quite young, having just turned 18. But as they share in their post to r/AmItheA**hole, their parents don't really care about them. In fact, the OP was kicked out of their house on their 18th birthday! Apparently this is somewhat common for parents to do. But don't expect to be in your child's life, or good graces, after tossing a teen out to fend for themselves. 

The OP seems to have handled the situation as well as they could, given the utterly bizarre circumstances. They also got plenty of support from commenters, who assured them that the blame lies with their parents. 

Next, check out this delivery driver who turned in a scammer — to her boss. 

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  • 01
    Purple - 'I showed up at the restaurant expecting a quiet dinner and a heart to heart, instead I found out that my father's fraternity had rented out the whole place'
    via Nadia Valko on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - r/AmItheA u/NoSheepTonight: • Posted by AITA for telling the truth about my eighteenth birthday and embarrassing my father to his university friends? So, bluntly, I (20m) was an unwanted child. A whoops pregnancy that my parents were too religious to As a result, I pretty much raised myself until I was kicked out at eighteen. I won't lie, it hurt being rejected by the people who were supposed to love me, but I'm at peace with it.
    via u/NoSheep
  • 03
    Font - With that Tragic Backstory TM out of the way, about six months ago, my parents reached out and started by apologizing profusely. I wasn't sure about getting back in contact, but they seemed genuine, so I tentatively went ahead. Things were going well, until invited me to meet up in person:
    via u/NoSheep
  • 04
    Font - I showed up at the restaurant expecting a quiet dinner and a heart to heart, instead I found out that my father's fraternity had rented out the whole d place for a twenty five year reunion. He met me at the door and told me to act like we're a happy family in front of his old friends. I, being hungry as h at this point, made a beeline for the buffet. He promised me dinner, and by god I was going to I have it.
    via u/NoSheep
  • 05
    Font - I tried to blend into the background, until I got to chatting with some other folks my age, my father's friend's kids I assume. They started talking about their parents and I nodded and smiled along. Then I was directly asked what I got for my eighteenth birthday, and I didn't know what to say, so I defaulted tot he truth.
    via u/NoSheep
  • 06
    Font - "So, what did your parents get you for your eighteenth?" "Umm... I got kicked out." cue awkward silence "Oh my god, are you ok? That sounds awful!" "Yeah, I'm fine, I just moved in with my aunt while I go to [my college], where do y'all go?" They then got to gossiping about their schools, and I made myself scare shortly afterwards.
    via u/NoSheep
  • 07
    Font - Later that night, my father started blowing up my phone, admonishing me for "embarrassing" him. Apparently, what I said had gotten back to my father's friends who are now being very cold to my father. He was angry with me because "it wouldn't have been a big deal to just lie and save face" and now he's in hot water with his university friends.
    via u/NoSheep
  • 08
    Font - I muted him and went to bed. I was sure that I was in the right here, but now I'm having doubts. I'm worried that my parents might not want to keep in contact after I basically threw a monkey wrench into his relationships with his university friends. So, AITA?
    via u/NoSheep
  • 09
    Font - Chaos-in-a-CookieJar Partassipant [3] NTA 100% First and foremost, you will never be TA for telling the truth. I don't mean any offense when I say this, but It's clear you are not at peace with what your parents did to you. Even in that last paragraph, you're still seeking the approval of the people who never cared about you at all. The fact that he told, not asked but told you to play happy family for his friends, is telling that they're not sorry at all. Even if they do go NC, don't swe
    via u/ChaosCookieJar
  • 10
    Font - OkSeat4312 A Aficionado [17] This! And keep in mind that they "got back in contact" and tricked OP into attending a reunion function instead of the promised dinner to clear the air. I think OP was going to be a prop from the first return to contact. I even doubt the buddies are cold to the father. He probably lied about that to OP. It's too easy to cover up. I'm sure "doting dad" covered himself by saying OP was out of control so he "had" to kick OP out.
    via u/OkSeat4312
  • 11
    Font - Straysmom Parta pant [3] NTA. Your dad tried to use you to look good in front of his buddy's. The joke was on him, because you told the truth :) Now, think about this very carefully. Do you honestly want to be in your parents' life if all you are is a prop? You deserve to have people around you who value you for being you. I had cold parent's & it didn't matter how hard I tried. Nothing I did was ever good enough. There is no sha in walking away from emotionally abusive parents. You deser
    via u/Straysmom
  • 12
    Font - Boeing367-80. Parta ipant [4] OP parents are only interested in staying in touch to the extent he can function as window-dressing. Their intrinsic interest in him is zero. It sucks, and his parents are horrendous people, but OP seems to be getting his hopes up for something that's almost certainly not available.
    via u/Boeing367-80
  • 13
    Font - wee_idjit A Aficionado [14] So, your parents lie- apologized just to set you up for pretend happy family college reunion (that they suckered you into). NTA. So very very NTA.
    via u/wee_idjit
  • 14
    Font - Sincerely_Me_Xo NTA - If your father wanted to save face, he could have easily lied himself about why you were not present. He doesn't get to ignore you, kick you out, and then show you off like some prize later in life and expect you to go along with it. You owe this man nothing. He's TA. Edit - Typo
    via u/Sincerely_Me_Xo
  • 15
    Font - Stella430 NTA. Not at all. Your parents were trying to be "the happy family" that they've been showing on every Christmas card for the past 20 years. You didn't go and make a scene. You didn't grab the microphone and announce "hello everyone. My parents are awful. They never wanted me and kicked me out on my 18th birthday." You gave other "kids" there a truthful answer to an innocuous question.
    via u/Stella430
  • 16
    Font - LeReineNoir Certified Proctologist [22] NTA. You can't get with the program if you don't know the show.. Daddy- O got exactly what he deserved. I hope the frat friends shun him. As for you, Op, keep shining like the diamond you are!
    via u/LeReineNoir
  • 17
    Font - sunset-tx-armadillo · As Enthusiast [9] NTA - in the slightest degree. Your AH parents were using you. Ain't karma grand!
    via u/sunset-tx-armadillo

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